2:12 AM GMT Sam Bruce Close ESPN Associate Editor Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPNscrum after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. John Goliath Round 2

“Honestly, it’s a little tough and it works on your mind a lot,” Manish Pandey said when asked about dealing with his one-step-forward-two-backward international career so far. “Especially on this tour I have felt it a lot actually. I had to see a doctor also because of that, but that was cricket is all about.

LOS ANGELES — In the wake of a Sports Illustrated investigation that detailed a culture of misogyny and predatory behavior in the Dallas Mavericks organization, the team’s longtime star Dirk Nowitzki responded Wednesday, calling the allegations “truly, truly disgusting.” “It’s tough,” Nowitzki said after the team practiced at USC in advance of their Friday game

Courtney Lawes insists England must prevent Finn Russell from leaving his imprint on Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown if Scotland are to be toppled at Murrayfield. Russell has retained his place in Gregor Townsend’s starting XV despite an inauspicious start to this year’s Six Nations, struggling against Wales and eventually being replaced by Greig Laidlaw at

Dan Biggar will line up for Wales against Ireland on Saturday — helped by repeated sessions in an oxygen therapy unit watching the American legal drama series Suits. Ospreys fly-half Biggar has made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a shoulder injury suffered while on European Champions Cup duty last month. Biggar sat out Wales’ opening Six

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Alexandar Georgiev is set to make his NHL debut for the New York Rangers when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. The 22-year-old Russian was 12-11-2 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .908 save-percentage in 31 games with Hartford of the AHL before being called up by the Rangers on

Former Rugby World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio insists Warren Gatland could achieve “spectacular things” as a future All Blacks head coach. Gatland, 54, will reach the impressive landmark of 100 Tests in charge of Wales in Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin. Warren Gatland had second thoughts as he received a call from

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Cleveland Indians have agreed to a minor league contract with free-agent reliever Carlos Torres, who could fill a bullpen opening. Torres pitched in 67 games last season for the Milwaukee Brewers. The right-hander will join the Indians in training camp once he passes a physical. The 35-year-old went 4-1 with a

WALTHAM, Mass. — Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart said doctors told him to play the lottery after he avoided what could have been a season-ending injury when he punched a glass picture frame out of frustration last month in Los Angeles. Smart, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing Boston’s final 11 games before the

8:05 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN After spending 10 days before the All-Star break in New York consulting with a specialist to gather a second opinion on his right quad injury, All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard bears the burden of determining when he’s prepared to play again, sources told ESPN. Leonard has been medically cleared to return

BROSSARD, Quebec — Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price missed practice Wednesday as the Canadiens’ medical staff checked him out a day after he was struck on the mask by a shot in Philadelphia. Coach Claude Julien said Price didn’t suffer a concussion, but more would be known about his condition after tests are taken. It

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes acquired goalie Darcy Kuemper from the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday for forward Tobias Rieder and goalie Scott Wedgewood. The 27-year-old Kuemper was 10-1-3 with a 2.10 goals-against average in 19 games for the Kings this season. He’s 51-35-17 with a 2.52 GAA in 104 career games with Minnesota

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Rory McIlroy sees a more cohesive United States team and its approach to the Ryder Cup. And he believes it is due to copying the European formula. In fact, he knows it. “I had a good chat with Phil [Mickelson] about it at Pebble Beach [two weeks ago],” McIlroy said

The Golden State Warriors plan to host the first NBA game in Seattle since the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 season, sources told ESPN. The Warriors would face the Sacramento Kings during the 2018 preseason. The Sacramento Bee first reported the potential matchup. Kevin Durant, who was originally drafted by the Seattle

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman thinks his team can compete for another division title this season, but until that potentially happens, he only sees them one way. “We’re ‘The Little Engine That Could,'” he said Wednesday as a guest on ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show.” The statement was accompanied on air

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman thinks his team can compete for another division title this season, but until that potentially happens, he only sees them one way. “We’re ‘The Little Engine That Could,'” he said Wednesday as a guest on ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show.” The statement was accompanied on air

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Now that golf’s governing bodies seem poised to address the issue of whether the golf ball flies too far, Jack Nicklaus said he is willing to offer his insight and influence. In fact, he said just that to Mike Davis, executive director of the United States Golf Association, during a